There is nothing that prevents SpaceX from using the Dragon 1 PICA layout for Dragon 2.

Well of course not, it's a nice proven layout, but there should still be leg holes*. So it's either a Dragon 1 shield or they are forgoing legs, which they IMHO would only do if the first flights uses water splashdowns and there is a good reason as they want to move to land touchdowns (power assisted or fully powered) ASAP.

There is nothing that prevents SpaceX from using the Dragon 1 PICA layout for Dragon 2.

Well of course not, it's a nice proven layout, but there should still be leg holes*. So it's either a Dragon 1 shield or they are forgoing legs, which they IMHO would only do if the first flights uses water splashdowns and there is a good reason as they want to move to land touchdowns (power assisted or fully powered) ASAP.

*Covered by (PICA?) plugs so not actual holes.

The first several flights of Dragon 2 for CCP are scheduled to splash down under parachutes, just like Dragon 1. Therefore, for the time being: no landing leg holes needed. The big exception will be Red Dragon, but that will be an extensively modified Dragon 2.

There is nothing that prevents SpaceX from using the Dragon 1 PICA layout for Dragon 2.

Well of course not, it's a nice proven layout, but there should still be leg holes*. So it's either a Dragon 1 shield or they are forgoing legs, which they IMHO would only do if the first flights uses water splashdowns and there is a good reason as they want to move to land touchdowns (power assisted or fully powered) ASAP.

*Covered by (PICA?) plugs so not actual holes.

The first several flights of Dragon 2 for CCP are scheduled to splash down under parachutes, just like Dragon 1. Therefore, for the time being: no landing leg holes needed. The big exception will be Red Dragon, but that will be an extensively modified Dragon 2.

Yes, which is what I said. But they would need a good reason to do so as it would move heat shield redesign and, more importantly, validation of this new design until after the initial flights. Meaning that they would either have to fly it untested on a crewed mission (don't think that is going to happen), do a dedicated test flight or wait until a CRS2 Dragon 2 flight (if NASA agrees). All hints so far are that they are working on moving to land landings as early as possible.

There is nothing that prevents SpaceX from using the Dragon 1 PICA layout for Dragon 2.

Well of course not, it's a nice proven layout, but there should still be leg holes*. So it's either a Dragon 1 shield or they are forgoing legs, which they IMHO would only do if the first flights uses water splashdowns and there is a good reason as they want to move to land touchdowns (power assisted or fully powered) ASAP.

*Covered by (PICA?) plugs so not actual holes.

Do you, guys, have an idea why the attachment points symmetry is offset relative to the shield layout symmetry?

Because the capsule re-enters at a positive angle of attack, to generate lift. The heat shield is symmetric around the "nose" of the capsule as it re-enters "nose up".

EDIT: actually, probably symmetric about the zero angle-of-attack point (ie, oncoming airflow). Presumably we'd call the geometric center of the heat shield the "nose", and it's not symmetric about that.

There is nothing that prevents SpaceX from using the Dragon 1 PICA layout for Dragon 2.

Well of course not, it's a nice proven layout, but there should still be leg holes*. So it's either a Dragon 1 shield or they are forgoing legs, which they IMHO would only do if the first flights uses water splashdowns and there is a good reason as they want to move to land touchdowns (power assisted or fully powered) ASAP.

*Covered by (PICA?) plugs so not actual holes.

The first several flights of Dragon 2 for CCP are scheduled to splash down under parachutes, just like Dragon 1. Therefore, for the time being: no landing leg holes needed. The big exception will be Red Dragon, but that will be an extensively modified Dragon 2.

(my emphasis)or.... three or four of these also function as footpads that extend, or the centers of extending footpads.

These attach points are also heat shields. They are just structural heat shields of a material too dense to use over the entire large bottom surface.

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What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

The first several flights of Dragon 2 for CCP are scheduled to splash down under parachutes, just like Dragon 1. Therefore, for the time being: no landing leg holes needed. The big exception will be Red Dragon, but that will be an extensively modified Dragon 2.

Why would a Red Dragon, or a regular Dragon 2 need legs? If the Super Dracos throttle satisfactorily why not just land on the heat shield?

The first several flights of Dragon 2 for CCP are scheduled to splash down under parachutes, just like Dragon 1. Therefore, for the time being: no landing leg holes needed. The big exception will be Red Dragon, but that will be an extensively modified Dragon 2.

Why would a Red Dragon, or a regular Dragon 2 need legs? If the Super Dracos throttle satisfactorily why not just land on the heat shield?

It's not a load-bearing sort of material. You'd have to replace it every time.

The first several flights of Dragon 2 for CCP are scheduled to splash down under parachutes, just like Dragon 1. Therefore, for the time being: no landing leg holes needed. The big exception will be Red Dragon, but that will be an extensively modified Dragon 2.

Why would a Red Dragon, or a regular Dragon 2 need legs? If the Super Dracos throttle satisfactorily why not just land on the heat shield?

It's not a load-bearing sort of material. You'd have to replace it every time.

Besides, the surface the Dragon is landing on might be uneven, so you can't be sure which part of the heat shield will touch the ground. So then all of the heat shield would have to be load-bearing and scratch-resistant, instead of just the soles of the feet.

Just a general question, does anyone here have any reason to think that the LAS on the Dragon would not have been sufficient to pull a crew away from the failing Amos-6 rocket?

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